How Did This Happen?

I used to be a very organized, project-oriented person... really I did. I hear people describe me, sometimes, to others, and the 'organized' word nearly always comes up, along with some reference to completing so many projects. For me, being organized means that things have a place and they are there, to be found in that place... it means that when I go to reach for some piece of information, I know just where it is, I can locate it or tell someone how to locate it...it I means that I have an idea of the 5 or 10 things that need to be executed to make something happen and I know what's been done and what hasn't. And, well, completing projects has always just been highly euphoric for me.

These days, I've been doubting my organizational and project completion skills, not that I'm so attached to them or feel like they define me. But, lately, things happen that make me feel like my life must be in chaos without me even realizing. It's like suddenly 'waking up' while driving and wondering where I am... What are these projects and how did they get here?

Take my New Year's anti-UFO initiative. I spent time going through my UFO's, my WIP's, my soon-to-be projects and thoughtfully reviewed them. Why am I stuck? Do I like this or that? What should be done to fix those stuck and move to completion. I frogged some, fixed some, completed some. By Thursday evening, I was so damn proud of myself because I was down to 1 sweater in progress (Emerald), 1 sweater undone and reworked back to where I was and able to happily resume (Central Park Hoodie), and 1 pair of socks (I always have a pair of no-brainer socks going). The list of projects, of which I was sure, came from my certainty that I knew where everything was and how they were organized.

Fast forward to Friday evening... John has misplaced his glasses. We looked in all the normal places, then expand the search to the dining table, the bookcase and beyond. OMG... more projects... how did they get there? I don't even remember putting them there and have no idea why I haven't worked on them. One is a most lovely Helix Scarf with beads. It's not difficult and I'm pretty thrilled to have found it again. But why was it in this random location? Then there is the Scribble Stole out of Claudia's handpainted ribbon yarn and some gorgeous alpaca/tencel handpainted lace yarn. I think it was to be a festive holiday wrap, but for what occasion? And how did it land under the tv console?

I shouldn't leave out the Peak's Island Hood Scarf I rediscovered that needs reworking one end, and the woven jacket that still needs to have the finishing done, both tucked away on low bookcase shelf (well, behind some other things!).

All this brings me to the realization that I love to start things, but have become a lousy finisher, even when I think I'm highly motivated. And, apparently, I put them out of sight, out of mind, in pure and total avoidance. So, this week, I'm going to finish at least one of these newly rediscovered projects and maybe, maybe, well maybe, not start something new! This didn't use to be so challenging, but then again, I never had so many things to entice me!!

It's been too long

Well, we're on the eve of a new year and I am reflective, as often happens at the end of a year/beginning of a new one. It's been too long since I've blogged and not for lack of things to say. We have had a very busy year and, by active decision, I let the blogging lapse to make sure I was taking care of in-shop business. But now it's time to get back to blogging.

This has been a year of transition in lots of ways.

For the shop, we've grown and grown and grown, to the point that I realized I needed more than volunteer help. That led to hiring Carol, who is a gem of a knitter, learner, teacher, beginning spinner and all round wonderful, caring human being. She has made all the difference in my being able to maintain my sanity when the UPS boxes mount up, the phone is ringing off the hook, wonderful customers are needing help and we NEED coffee! God bless her!!

Also, we've started giving lots more lessons in knitting, crochet, spinning and weaving, and renting of weaving and spinning studio space. Each class needs lots of prep and each student brings us new things we need to address, so it's all good. This has led us to think about and plan for a broader range of classes that go beyond the basics and help you all build skills that keep you going, a goal for 2011. Look for loads of skill-building classes this new year.

I've started focusing on building some weaving kits, too, so new and intermediate weavers can have all they need in order to be successful, while learning about a particular weaving structure. As much as I love color, there will be some really awesome handdyed kits to keep the excitement alive.

All the input from you has given me the opportunity to think about publishing more materials that answer all those nagging questions we get asked on a weekly basis. In 2011, look for us to start publishing some 'how to' materials, along with classes that will really help you continue to build your skills.

This all leads me to our most important evolving change, and that is our own online store where we'll sell kits, our handdyed yarns and fibers, including our colorway of the month offerings, and some new, exciting items, coming in Feburary. We'll announce when it's ready and hope your will provide your feedback!

Stay tuned and come love fiber with us!
Happy New Year,
Susan

Stasher or Collector?

I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, off and on. Am I a stasher or collector? Who cares? Does it make a difference?

I've decided that a stasher has the intent of using some of the items s/he acquires one day and often feels guilty when the stash grows beyond a certain personal limit, while a collector could really care less if the stuff is ever used, because appreciating the beauty of it in the moment is all important. 

In thinking about this, I realized that I have some true stash, some guilty stash and some collection...

Since I have a thing about having 'no guilt' in my life, I decided to work through the categories to see what was what and maybe clean house a little, so to speak.

For years and years, I've purchased yarns and fibers that I love, with the idea that one day I will make something wonderful out of them. These are items that have a beauty that is indisputable... everyone who sees them feels that intrinsic 'Ohhhhhhhahhhhhh' (you know what I'm talking about, right?). They stand on their own, no project needed. I never get to have enough time to make something out of most of them... truth be told, I rarely find a project worthy of their beauty. They sit on shelves and in cabinets and bins, lovingly fondled from time to time and they always give pleasure to all who partake of them in those flitting moments. These will be with me, remain with me until I find a worthy project or they outlive me. There is no doubt in my mind that I will collect much more in this category over my lifetime.

I've, also, purchased yarns that I found on sale or bargain or other enticement, where the mass excitement of the deal performed it's magic and pulled me into it's web of project possibilities with the idea that I could 'make the yarn work' and transform it into gold, just like Rapunzel. Dang, I always know that the project will never materialize, once I leave the scene of the crime, and I may as well just turn the stuff over to someone who sees it as a beauty to behold, as in my first example. I've purchased tons of yarn in this category... probably thousands of dollars' worth over my lifetime just so far! (Interestingly, I can't think of a single unspun fiber that I have that falls into this category. wondering why...) This yarn just needs to leave my personal living space. Pronto!!

Finally, I've purchased and 'stashed' yarns that I use regularly... I call these 'utility yarns'. those staples that I know I will always need... weaving cottons and wools/blends, linens and blends, and a few oddball things, like mohair boucle. I sit at night and plan projects sometimes, and go to my 'stash of staples' and just am able to get started with something I know will work and I'll be happy with because it's exactly what is required... No guilt, no remorse, just my personal store. Is that a stash? I guess it is, in the truest sense.

So, there I have it...

• I collect and admire beautiful yarns and fibers that stand on their own... for me, they can stay thay way forever, being their final state, without any guilt, just pleasure in fondling them at will
• I stash junk... the gods know I need to stop this and get rid of what I have... (junk being only in the eye of the beholder, as it may be beautiful and admired in it's own right by someone else, or at least viewed as utilitarian)
• I stash utility yarns, those that are workhorse staples... I stash them, then remove them from stash for projects. They are like my personal store of things like salt and pepper. I know I'll use them, just not all at once. My stash rotates.

When I look at who I am, overall, I'm a collector. I will get rid of those yarns I've 'stashed' but can't imagine using in real life, but feel no guilt acquiring my utility yarns or my beauteous array of yarns on which I love and fondle and qet exquisite pleasure in the textures, taking in the colors and harmonies and loving the feel. It feels liberating to be clear so I can get rid of all my 'non-utility stash'.

Are you a stasher or a collector?

Carded Batts to Finished Project

Remember those carded batts from the May Colorway of the Month, "Under the Big Top"? Well, I've been having more fun transforming them into a finished project than I've had in some time.

I began spinning them as a very lofty fine singles with the idea that I would ply them with something else. But then I fell in love with how airy the yarn was as a 2-ply, so created another set of batts following the same progression, from brighter, deeper colors to lighter ones, spun them on a second bobbin and plied the 2 together. Normally, I'd have to split the plied yarns onto two bobbins, but I used my new Schacht Bulky Flyer/bobbin and got the full 8.2 oz onto it, no sweat. 843 yards total of 2-ply. Very cool!! made me sooo happy as I envisioned no extra ends to weave into my project.

I choose to knit a little short sleeve cardi called "Tappan Zee" from the latest Knitty.com patterns. It seemed perfect for this yarn as it's worked all in one piece from the top down. I envisioned the progression working it's way from darker to lighter, which is just what happened. Here is a progress pic:

The color transition worked out really well, I think. The yarn is super soft BFL superwash, light and airy. Knitting was quite the pleasure... so much so that I abandoned nearly all other projects while I worked on this baby.

It was all so worth it in the end. Here she is after being blocked. I added a few extra rows to the sleeves for added length and have made some Sculpey buttons that are curing and will add a little more whimsy to this.

I just love how it turned out and how it looks on, too. I may have to make another of these. I know I will definitely have to do more carding of progression batts! Yet another way to transform the handpainted tops... gotta love it! Oh, and yardage was perfect! I have 2 yards left, so no odd bits to add to my stash. Hooray for that...

When Good Knitting Goes Bad...

I've been working on the Liesl top by Cocoknits. It's cute, it's a tunic style and something I'm sure I'll wear. I'm making it out of Allhemp from Hemp for Knitting, which is a 100% hemp sportsweight yarn, similar in feel to Euroflax linen, in an orangy color I like and it's a fiber that I'm really fond of, too. With all that love, this should be an easy project. But it's not going so well...

This is the second project using this yarn... actually the second project using this very ball of yarn. It started as a shapely tee that called exactly for this yarn. Still, it took me forever to get the right gauge. After I started on the second skein, I realized that I didn't like the feel of the fabric... wayyyyy too still and firm. So, after some confirmation with others, this top was frogged.

I had the Liesl in my queue with some linen in mind for it, and decided that I'd start it with the allhemp. Gauge is good, hand is good, or so I'm hoping if I can ever get past row 5! 3 times, I've miscounted my stitches in my cast on row or dropped a cast on stitch and had to start over. Now, on row 5, dear Finley decided he needed love and pushed my knitting, just enough for a stitch to come off the needle... I set it aside to love him and he sat on the piece. By the time he had wiggled little cat self off of it, the stitch was no more, run all the way to the cast on row again!!

So, this project needs a timeout! or I need a timeout from it.

Spinning, on the other hand, made me happy. I finished spinning up 4 ozs of superfine merino on my new-to-me Rick Reeves wheel. I had painted it in Easter colors and spun it nice and fine, just the way the wheel likes it. Then I navaho plied it on my new-to-me American Traveler, using the bulky flyer and bobbin. What a dream wheel!!

Here is the result: 408 yds, 3.95 oz. Soon to be the Heart-to-Heart Scarf, with beads and all.

Knitting may have gone bad, but the spinning is ohhh, so good!!

Off for some more spinning for me :)

handpainted tops vs. carded batts

Tops or batts, batts or tops... I find myself in a luxury position of getting to choose my favorite fiber prep for any given fiber any day. It's a new experience for me.

I used to seek tops because I felt they were the most versatile. You can create worsted  or semi-wortsted yarns, thick or thin or any combination from them. In the case of handpainted tops, the choices and yarn results can vary even more just based on how the top is separated or spun up.

I've carded some tops and enjoyed the results, though it's lots of work to get a nicely blended product, particularly when I add in other things like silk brick or sparkles. I'm not a fan of the clumped silk or angelina batts, and so spend maybe too much time working to even out the luxury/sparkles so that a little bit shines through throughout the batt. In my mind, there is a difference between art batts where lots of different fibers and textures are thoughtfully blended and combined, and those that are sometimes called that but are merely the result of lack of skill or control over the end product.

For many years, my very favorite workhorse carder has been my Clemes and Clemes. Everything goes through it and blends nicely. From the shop perspective, the batts are wide enough to meet the expectations of most people when they seek a batt. It has been my 'go to' carder when things needed blending.

Then I got to try the Louet roving carder and I've loved the results. The batts are narrower but thicker and the results are spectacular! I have been a happy girl! When I need thick layers of color or a single fiber or fibers blended together well for myself, this is the one I go to. And because I've loved it so much, this past week, I got in the Louet Elite carder, a full-sized carder with more functionality than I've had time to try yet. And, OMG!!! I'm so in love! I wish I had had this available to me years ago.

Truly, I'm not trying to sound like an infomercial and I'm not a drum carder neophyte... I have been to workshops and conferences where I had the opportunity to try several of the leading brands. So I can't put my finger quite on why this carder has me so over the top excited! Except that the tops card with a minimal of effort, the drum carder's large circumference seems to help create large batts with the colors well dispersed, the cleanup is a Breeze, and the batts are so light, airy and without neps that I want to spend all my time spinning them.

I had a couple of COM tops that fell apart out of the dyepot and I would not sell as braids. With the new carder, I decided to divide them and spin them up. Here is how the 'Under the Big Top' looks carded as batts... can you see how light and fluffy they are??

I carded them in a sort of progression, from lighter to more colorful and have already spun one up. All this (plus one more) from one 4oz handpainted braid. The resulting yarn will be heathered, contrasted to the wide expanses of color that happens when spinning directly from the dyed tops. Heathered yarns are so comforting to me. They are so huggable! Why are there not more heathered yarns, huh?

It will be fun to see how they come out. I'm thinking of using a different fiber to ply them, maybe something like a fine bamboo or soy thread.  What do you think I should do?

knitting and spinning and weaving, oh my!

I have always had lots of hobbies, and have fluttered from one to another at whim until I have either outgrown the hobby, getting all I needed from it, or reached a stage with it where the effort to pursue it in more depth was greater than my interest in carrying on with it. When that happens, I move on to another.

Some hobbies have managed to hold my interest throughout my life. In the case of knitting, it is like a true soulmate... I understand it, I can read it's most every move and intention, and my fondness for it just grows deeper with time. What's not to love about making a web of fabric that stretches, can transform whatever it embellishes and molds to become one thing on me, another on you.

Spinning is another love that just deepens and becomes richer with time. There is something so magical about taking a handful of fibers and plant materials and having the ability to transform them into threads and art yarns with a turn of the wrist, a hum of a wheel.

And then there is weaving, the wondrous taking of spun threads to interlace into what often appears as just gauze and transforms through the process of finishing into integral cloth for garments, household items, art forms and more.

When you participate in these crafts, you learn that the possibilities are endless... in fact, it's often hard to decide on the final project because there just are so many options and creative choices.

For me, when I make some time to work on these endeavors that I love so much, it's often hard to choose which love to honor... will I knit, or spin, or weave or (felt or dye or...)?
So now, I just let the muses tell me where to focus my attention for that time. I no longer fight them or try to second guess which would be the better effort to work on.

Yesterday, then, was weave day. I had this warp measured from handspun for a couple weeks, and it hit me yesterday that I had the perfect yarn for weft to make a scarf. I couldn't wait to get to the loom! Here it is, all finished up.

Once around my neck, it realized it really needs to be part of a jacket...

that's what I mean... one thing just leads to another in an endless stream of possibilities!

Fiber Science is so Cool!

Yesterday, I talked about my scarf that was being made from 2 50-gram skeins of a beaded yarn and how it felt so much heavier than that. The mystery as to why...

So, today, I started working through the questions...

The skeins weigh exactly 50 grams, so the total scarf weights 101 grams. This caused me to scratch my head for awhile...

I took out 2 other 50-gram skeins and held them in my hand, eyes closed and they feel the same, so that pretty much confirmed the results.

Still, the beaded scarf has a weight when it drapes that another 100-gram wool scarf does not have.

So, here's my theory... silk weights much less per volume. 100 grams of silk at this size would have yielded many more than 200 yards of yarn. The bulk of the weight of the yarn, then, comes from the beads. The weight of the beads is greater than the weight of the yarn. As a result, the beads pull the scarf down and make it feel heavy...

Now, this is not a tested theory, but there has got to be something of truth in it. When I put on the scarf, it does not fly away as any other silk scarf I have/know, but it lays against my body like a coat of armor. With or without a closure or tie, this puppy is not going anywhere.

And here she is!

And the detail.

I'm working this up in Jitterbug, too, a really springy machine washable merino. I'll post that soon, and look for the pattern! This is a fun, fun, knit that looks so much more complicated that it is. Will I make this up in a beaded yarn again, probably not. Will I play with beads in knitting? oh yeah, because the theory has not yet been proved...:) and you know how it is with curious minds... we have just got to know!

50 grams is 50 grams, right?

I've been knitting a beaded yarn project, in between other things. It's a scarf made from Artyarns beaded silk that I got on my little roadtrip to Comfort a couple weeks ago. The yarn is a very beautiful 2 ply silk, with one of the plies having little silver seed beads.

The yarn was an exceptional indulgence for me... at only 100 yds per skein at a luxury price. The scarf I'm making takes 2.  Given that I no longer have a disposable income, it was more than over my budget. But I absolutely love the yarn, the color, the feel, the shimmer. and it was an impulse I couldn't resist. To be honest, when I grabbed the yarn, I thought 2 scarves, one for me, one for gifting (can you hear the justification?)... the 100 yd skein did not really hit me full throttle. Once it did, c'est la vie! And I don't really believe in buyer's remorse... if I love it, I love it. So a 2-skein scarf it is.

I have spend time thinking about this, though, as I've been knitting with it. I have thought of every justification that comes to mind for why this scarf makes sense...about all the sale yarn I've purchased that sits in personal bins and baskets and will probably end up being donated to someone else's project or will be just stash that outlives me ... yarn that, over my lifetime, has amounted to many times more than the cost of this scarf . I've thought about how much I envy this scarf for it's sheer beauty and anyone else who might wear it, I've thought about why I feel the need to justify this to myself, especially since I already own it and, finally, how much I embrace this scarf and how I long to wear it.

Which has brought me to thinking about wearing this scarf... I'm about 3/4 done with it now and it has hit me that it is remarkably heavy with all the beads. There are loads of beads. And this little 2 skeins of 50 grams of silk with beads feels so much heavier than that.

Really, think about it... skein of cotton/tencel is 50 grams and feels light and airy. 2 of them feels light, still. Yet 2 skeins of this yarn feels like there are weights on it (aka heavy glass beads). Is the yarn really 50 grams? is it the weight of the fibers without the beads? or is it a perception issue that transcends our norm? I'm so curious, now, I can hardly wait to find the answer, but have my perfecto scale at the shop, so will have to wait until tomorrow to actually weight the scarf and see what's what...

Interesting how a simple scarf out of yarns that I have lusted for, could lead to all kinds of interesting questions about life and science.

I'm hoping I can solve this final scarf mystery tomorrow.

Living in the Imagination

I took a road trip by myself a couple of weeks ago, thanks to Carol, who took care of the shop. It was a gloriously sunny day, and I toured the hill country, visiting yarn shops and eateries along the way. I haven't done that in quite some time and it had the hoped for effect... I came back energized and with renewed excitement for all things fiber.

I love going to shops I haven't visited before and it was fun to get the chance to finally visit The Tinsmith's Wife in Comfort and Stonehill Spinning in Fredericksburg. Of course, I had to buy yarn, and even got some beads for knitting! It was a lovely, refreshing day, enjoying fiber and friends.

End result, I've just been going crazy with project ideas, imaginings of new colorways, spinning of designer yarns and planning weaving projects... so much that I've had virtually nothing to say. I know, it's hard to believe... but I've been so busy talking to myself and living in my own imagination, that my words to you all have been virtually non-existent!

That will not last for much longer, though. Why? I have been designing several projects, including a really cute scarf and hat pattern, and several woven projecs.  Also, I've finally gotten myself set up as a designer on Ravelry under "Susan Fricks" and "Yarnorama", so you can find my patterns there. I've got 3 free patterns and the Love You Sweater available there now, with more to come. And I've finally gotten some ads done in Ravelry which allow you to see the yarns we have in stock. I'll have links to all this on the Yarnorama web site in the next few days, too.

The cool thing about living in the imagination for me is that I have a burst of energy that sooner rather than later comes out on the physical, tangible side as real projects and ideas to share with you all. 

I think you will really love the things I've got in the works! At least they are wonderful in my imagination!!

Understanding the Concept

I'm a 'needing to understand the concept' girl, rather than a 'give me the directions so I can be good to go' type. I'd love to be able to just follow directions, and I do follow them lots and lots of the time. But if there is something that nags me, I just can't let it go until I understand the 'why' or the concept.

Case in point, the humble 'slip first stitch' in knitting of some patterns. I've followed this instruction since as long as I can remember following knitting patterns. Sometimes, the pattern says slip the first stitch, sometimes it says to slip the stitch purlwise. I may have even seen it sometimes written to slip knitwise. I'm asked nearly every week if it really makes a difference. I've, generally said to follow the pattern. And if I'm on a knit row, I would slip knitwise, if it didn't say, and slip purlwise on the purl side.

Well, today was my day off and I actually had time to spend doing nothing in particular... quite the novel experience for me these days. What it, also, meant is that I could play with some of these ideas and really see if there was a rhyme or reason as to which way to slip the stitch. And what I discovered was quite illuminating. There is a reason to slip the stitch purlwise, whether on the knit side or the purl side. There is truly a concept, a 'why', that explains why this is often explicitly spelled out and, if it's not, you want to slip purlwise. 

When you slip the stitch purlwise, the stitch remains seated in the right position, front leg in front, when you turn your work for the next row, either a knit or purl row. Who knew, huh? It is, actually, a pretty important concept that keeps the edges or other like stitches from becoming twisted.

So, all these years, I've sometimes done this correctly, sometimes not, but only because I never understood why I was doing it. Now that I know, I can always know how to do it correctly.

I love understanding concepts! It means you just have to learn something once and can then apply it to countless examples. And now that you know the 'why', you, too, will want to slip purlwise, no?

When Yarn Mirrors Our Mind's Picture

I've spent the past couple of evenings spinning a lovely norwegian handdyed fiber. It's been an incredibly easy spin and lent itself to lots of sampling. And sample, I did.

First, I had in my mind that I would spin yarn for socks from the 4.1 oz I had. I thought a 3-ply, actually a navaho/chain ply would be lovely to show off all the colors clearly. So that is how I started.

Not quite accurate... First, I divided my top into 2 equal pieces, each weighing 1.85 oz, leaving mw with .25 oz to play with.

So my n-plied sample was from this, and came to 22 yds. That meant (by doing all the math), that I'd only have 280-300 yds for my socks. I wanted more yardage, so changed plans to a 2-ply of the same thickness.

Here are the results. I love the finished yarn and can't wait to use it! Umm added to my project list...

(oh, and for those who remember my 2010 goal to use up my handspun yarn, I'm not doing so well, as I'm creating more faster than I'm using what I've already spun... ideas for solving this???)

Love how this yarn came out!

Have You Seen the Wildflowers?

It's a new month and time for our new colorway! The original theme was springtime and I couldn't resist taking my inspiration from the amazing colors in the wildflowers. They are absolutely stunning and en masse this year. If you get a chance, take a drive up Hwy 21, where they are coming out everywhere, or along CR1440, between Hwy 21 and 77 in Giddings. I can't recall when I've seen them so abundant and varied!

So, without further ado, here is the fiber and the yarn. Fiber is corriedale cross, $15/4oz braid, and the yarn is 100% merino bulky, 110yds/100 grams, $13.50 (5 skeins make up into one of those "Baby Alpaca Vest" shrugs that we all love to wear.

Enjoy!

Spinning Again

I know it hasn't been as long as it seems, but it feels like it's been forever since I've been spinning... at least a couple, three weeks. So I've set myself out to spin all week to get back into my zen spin groove, which I'm seriously needing.

I have a lovely 4oz of handdyed norwegian wool that I've set my sights on spinning into sock yarn. So, on Monday, I weighed and divided it out into even parcels, one for each sock. I had a little left over for a sample that I spun up immediately, into a 3-ply sock yarn size, about 22 yards. I used my Matchless with the 15:1 whorl and spun the singles into a fine, smaller than lace-weight singles and navaho plied it. And the resulting yarn is lovely. I mean, really lovely, with nice twist and a beautiful sheen.

But I'm a math gal, ... just drawn to figuring out the numbers...so I just had to do the computing to extrapolate the yards and ounces of my sample and figure out if I would have enough yards for my socks if I continued on with the plan. Turns out, if I spun up the 1.85 oz I'd divided for each sock, using the very same technique, I'd end up with less than 300 yds total for both socks. Not quite the weight of socks I had in mind.

So tonight, I changed my wheel whorl to the 17-1/2 ratio, high speed, and began spinning a finer yarn. It's fun because it's been a very long time since I've used my high-speed whorl and I can see how quickly the twist enters the fiber at the same treadling speed, allowing me to spin finer with virtually no extra effort!

I think I'll still do a navaho/chain-ply with this, and am really excited about how it's looking. Of course, it's so easy to amuse me with spinning!!

Once I get this done, I'm going to spin up the April fiber colorway. It is a fiber I think you will like and it's all about spring in central Texas. I love driving through central Texas in Spring... why?  it's all about wildflowers, no??

For you non-spinners, don't worry about all the spinning technicalities... there is spun yarn dyed and ready to go in the colorway of the month.

(psst... take a drive up TxHwy 21 between Bastrop and Paige and you will see the colors bursting!)

Jubilation!!

I made my way through my accounting woes and I am jubilant! So now I'm back and able to focus on fibery things.

First, let me show you what I've talked about having finished...

My 198 Yds of Heaven blocked. Yarn is Mirasol Tupa, a 50/50 merino & silk blend that has a fab sheen.
I'm pleased with the final results.

Next up is my Weekend Jacket. I started this a year ago January and set it aside when spring came. I'm happy that I pulled it back out and finished it. It has become my very favorite sweater jacket! Soft, cuddly and looks great dressed up or down. I use a shawl pin for the closure.

This was one big project off my list of WIP's... hooray!

Then, just tonight, I finished the Cabled Sleeveless Shell, the first of my spring and summer tops. I used the new Cotton Twirl, a variegated cotton & elastic yarn. The yarn is tightly twisted, which I really love, so knitting with it was non-splitty and totally pleasureable. I'm going to have to make another top out of this yarn, as it's super comfy and stretchy in just the right amount. Tomorrow this gets blocked and then it's ready for prime time.  Btw, the color is called BBQ Sauce. Don't you just love that?

Finally, for those of you who may think that nothing much exciting ever happens in Paige, here's the turkey that ran up our street and up over the railroad tracks a few days ago. He certainly has some place to go, other turkeys to see, by the look on his face!

When Life Gets in the Way

My blogs have been few and far between for the past couple of weeks because life has gotten in the way...

Every day, I think about posting pictures and describing what I'm doing. The pictures of my lovely blocked 198 Yards of Heaven shawlette are still on my camera, as are the pictures of my FINALLY finished Weekend Jacket (that I absolutely Love, love!, btw), and that I've worn a couple of times this past week. Even on my camera is a picture of the absolutely huge wild turkey that gobbled his way up the street and up over the railroad tracks, just as Rebecca's grandson, Kaleb, was looking out the window. It was quite the spectacle, amid all the WOW's!!

Why am I delinquent? It's my accounting woes... I've some software issues, some human errors, some lack of understanding and learnings with my POS/financial software integration that has taken over ever waking moment that I'm not with customers for the past few weeks. Deadline for getting this all done is Monday.

If you don't hear from me by Tuesday, send in the chocolate, wine and bandages!! I'm hoping for a good outcome, though... so close

Things finished

I've been hunkering down this last week and finishing projects. First done, the 198 yards of heaven shawlette. I even blocked her and she is quite lovely, with a finished measurement of 45" x 21". I would definitely add another repeat if I do another because I had lots of yarn left over and it could use being just a tad bigger.

Next up, the Weekend Jacket. This is one I started in Jan 2009, but put aside when spring came, pulled it back out again this winter and have had it ready to put together for at least a couple weeks or so. Finally sewed it together... don't know what I was avoiding as it was really easy and only took a couple hours to get it all done. I love how this jacket came out! it's longer than I expected and I like that about it, too.

Finally, I'm nearly finished with the cabled shell out of Cotton Twirl. I should get the front done tonight, and maybe even sew it together so I can work on the armhole and neck finishing.

Aren't they lovely? don't you just love the colors and styles??

ok, I've once again left the finished pieces at the shop, while the camera is with me at home. Pictures of these beauties will come, I promise!

I do have one more little nugget that you will enjoy... I know I did!
Remember that lovely SOAR yarn I spun and finished last week? that gorgeous black blue-faced leicester/tussah blend that Morgan, our little cali cat was obsessed about? Well, I was diligent about putting the fiber up after that so she couldn't get at it any more before it had it spun up. And that worked swimmingly. After I finished the plying and photoed it and posted for you all, I set the skeins next to my bag that I take with me to the shop so I wouldn't forget.

The next morning, one skein was on the floor and we just assumed that the cats knocked it down when they were playing/tumblng. Silly me...  Once at the shop, I started to steam set the skeins and one skein had this funny 'wobble' area where the threads seemed out of whack. Yeah, they were out of whack, alright! Morgan (I feel confident accusing her!) had chewed right through the skein! Not all of it, but enough that she had to have worked that puppy for some time, only stopping when the threads were cleanly broken, with sections out of the middle. yum, yum... I can just hear her...

I haven't checked to see how much of it I've lost... I guess I should just let it go... easy come, easy go, and she must have relished her fiber dessert.

So productive week, overall. Sorry you can't see it!

Maybe I'll wear the jacket tomorrow at the shop's 2nd anniversary so you can drool over it!

I'm a Magnet

Ever feel like you are a magnet for the very things that drive you crazy? Like you can't stand the toilet paper roll paper unrolling over rather than under and you find a mate who puts it on the holder exactly the way that makes you want to bite your nails?

Well, thankfully, John and I both put the roll on the same way, but I'm finding I'm not so lucky with my knitting patterns of choice lately. I've written about the intuitive knitter/wannabe pattern designer and how they make me crazy when they write patterns as if the following of them doesn't matter. I thought I had it out of my system, but I was overly optimistic. And now I'm finding myself a magnet for them.

My latest misadventure is with the "198 Yards of Heaven", improperly named, but I don't want to get ugly. Actually, the finished product from this effort by the designer is quite pretty, and is what prompted me to attempt it in the first place. It is more than pretty!

Here's my finished piece... lovely isn't she?

She still needs to be blocked and will grow quite a bit in width and length, but I'm really fond of her.

But.... for all who want to do this and create their own very lovely version, DO NOT follow the written instructions!!! just Do not... You don't know how much it pains me to say that I have encountered yet another intuitive knitter who has written a pattern following the successful completion of her own project, but it's true. In this case, it's even documented how the pattern was tested by Ravelry test knitters. Alas, that can only be part of the story... they could not have used the written instructions as part of their test, only the charts. The charts are correct, with some adjustments following tester comments. The written pattern should just be deleted.

So I won't rant about how intuitive knitters need to write patterns that are correct and can be followed explicitly by someone coming behind them. I won't moan about how it cost me 2 evenings doing and undoing the 22-row repeat to figure out where the problems were arising, and I won't even comment on the fact that the pattern has this goofy switch  from a 2-stitch rib to a knit pattern in the edging, which can only be interpreted as not paying attention to pattern. Why? Because, at the end of the day, this is a lovely piece when you go with the fabric flow that I'm thrilled to have worked through.

Want to make one? Follow the chart only, do not follow the written row instructions, change the lace edge stitches to follow the pattern as in 'continue in pattern', and well....
Maybe you want to forget this one, unless you like reinventing the wheel... because, you will need to do and undo many times to get this to look right. Now that I've done one, though, the second should be a piece of cake!

Nope, I'm not really a Slug!

Sometimes, I feel like a slug... I get others, like my DH, to make meals and clean around us, and generally hold up the fort. He doesn't mind, really. In fact, he likes that he is so appreciated doing things he, at best, totally enjoys (cooking), and at worst, knows needs to be done and that he's supporting our larger goals. Still, I oftentimes feel a tad guilty that I really should be 'doing my part' around the place. 

John is a dear and assures me, when I show him what I'm getting done instead, that it's totally worthwhile. I love him madly for that! Here's what I've been working on over the last few days with his support. 

I spun up the SOAR comemorative fiber (black blue-faced leicester and tussah silk, 75%, 25%). I managed to spin up 806 yds of 2-ply out of my 4 ozs and so have enough for a shawl. The finished color and sheen is amazing. Now that it's done, I'm fantasizing about overdyeing it for a woven shawl. It's so beautiful, I can hardly keep from petting it.

Then there is the Cotton Twirl Shell I started a couple of weeks ago. See how lovely it is with it's soft cable? I'm nearly through the front (and the back), so should be done in just a few more hours.

Next comes the Spunky Eclectic fiber for February, a Superwash BFL in a colorway that is totally not my colors, yellow, orange, burgundy and turquoise. It's sort of a southwest colorway, though she calls it "oh la, la, tropical". I decided to go outside my norm and comfort zone with this, since there was really nothing to lose... I divided up the fiber into long strips and wound them into cakes for spinning, each in sequence, keeping the colors intact. I married the yellows up with the burgundies, the oranges with the turquoise. 

I am spinning the singles as a somewhat uneven yarn, with the idea that it will result in a worsted weight, uneven 2-ply. Here is the yarn as a singles. More to come on how it will look plied up!

You Know I Couldn't Resist!!

I have  been hearing about the shawl called "198 Yards of Heaven" for a few weeks now and finally relented (that's my excuse, and I'm stickin to it!). What is so wonderful about this shawl/shawlette is that it's made using a worsted weight luxury blend of your choosing, doesn't use much of it, and produces a nice-sized shawl/shawlette. From all accounts, it's a speedy knit, too. So I started one... yes, I did! Mine is in Tupa, the lovely Mirasol merino/silk worsted weight yarn and I'm so loving knitting with it and how it's coming out. I've finished one repeat of 22 rows and set it aside for tonight so I could work on another project. I think this is probably just a 3 or 4 evening effort at a nice, casual pace. I'm loving how the leaf pattern shows up and will post pics to show you mine, maybe tomorrow!

My other project for the evening? Spinning!!! Have I told you how I love to spin?? I'm finishing up the last of my SOAR commemorative fiber, the black blue-faced leicester/silk blend that was made specially for the participants. I'm hurrying to get it done because Fischer and Morgan, 2 of our family cats, have declared their passion for this fiber, too, and plan, plot and excute how to chomp on it every waking moment when I don't have my eye on them, which is most of the time. They are fascinated by the smell of it and I can only hope I can get it to a safe place, as I have visions of the resulting shawl being eaten up by them... what's so up with that??

See Morgan's razon-focus as she watches me spin that fiber? "I want it!!" And Fischer, below, is just waiting for his moment to pounce.